This Valentine's Puppy Chow is sweet, crunchy, and absolutely delicious! This quick, easy recipe is a treat that screams I LOVE YOU.
Valentine's Puppy chow
This Valentine's Puppy Chow is very similar to my Christmas Puppy Chow and Chex Mix Puppy Chow, but has an additional festive twist! Chex Mix Puppy Chow is a delicious treat that has been around for years. It is a recipe that coats Chex Mix cereal in chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar.
This Valentine's Puppy Chow adds on the original Puppy Chow recipe by throwing in holiday m&m’s! It takes about 15 minutes to make from start to finish, and it’s SO delicious. It’s one of those treats where you can’t keep your hands out of the bowl!
What is called puppy chow?
Whether you call it “puppy chow” or “muddy buddies,” you’re thinking of the exact same delicious recipe. I grew up calling this recipe “puppy chow” which I have recently learned is because the look of this dish closely resembles dog food. I will say I have a memory of my mom making this for us kids, putting it on a bowl on the floor, and us acting like dogs to eat it…..
The Valentines part of this puppy chow comes from adding red and pink m&m’s to make the dish more festive for the holidays! This is the perfect dessert for a valentines party or galentines treat.
Puppy chow or muddy buddies?
Needless to say, I’m a puppy chow gal. Muddy buddies is great, but it doesn’t feel right to call it that!
What ingredients do I need?
The ingredients for this recipe will be the same as my original puppy chow, but with a Valentine's addition. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Dark chocolate chips – I LOVE dark chocolate. Not only is it rich in antioxidants and nutrients, BUT it tastes delicious.
- Peanut butter – Almost as much as I love dark chocolate do I love peanut butter. It’s creamy, tasty, and packed with protein and healthy fats. The peanut butter and chocolate will get melted and mixed together for the coating!
- Chex cereal – The Chex cereal is the star of the show. It’s the crunchy squares that will be coated in the delicious peanut butter chocolate coating and powdered sugar.
- Powdered sugar – If you’ve seen a picture of puppy chow, you will immediately notice it’s covered in white, which is the powdered sugar!
- Red and pink m&m’s – These festive m&m’s are very easy to find in stores this time of year! They add so many Valentine's vibes to this recipe.
What substitutions can I make?
There are a few substitutions you can make for this recipe.
- Dark chocolate chips – I LOVE dark chocolate, but you can totally use milk chocolate (which is what the standard recipes use).
- Peanut butter – While most puppy chow recipes use peanut butter, you can use any kind of nut butter. Almond, cashew, or sunflower will work just fine.
- Chex cereal – The Chex cereal is the star of the Chex Mix Puppy Chow show. I would NOT substitute this ingredient.
- Powdered sugar – I would not make substitutions for this ingredient!
- M&m’s – You can use any colored m & m’s for this recipe, but the red and green ones are what makes it festive!
- Pretzels – You can add pretzels to balance with something salty!
What makes this a healthy puppy chow?
Let me start by saying this is a healthier puppy chow recipe. This recipe still uses the same four classic ingredients (Chex cereal, chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar), however there are a few variations. I use less of each ingredient, substitute milk for dark chocolate, and don’t use butter. I guarantee you this healthier puppy chow recipe tastes just as good, if not better, than the standard! This recipe adds in m&m’s as well.
How long does it take to make this recipe?
This recipe takes about 10 minutes to make. This is a one-bowl recipe so you’ll need to dump all of your ingredients into one large bowl and stir! The hardest part of this recipe will be stirring everything until it’s completely mixed.
This recipe is also no-bake, so no oven required. The only “cooking” is the time when the chocolate and peanut butter are melted in the microwave. Trust me, this recipe is so quick and easy!
What is the process for this recipe?
- Place the cereal in a large mixing bowl.
- Combine the peanut butter and chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Heat in the microwave, stirring every 30 second seconds until completely melted. Mix well.
- Pour the melted peanut butter and chocolate mixture over the cereal. Stir gently (careful not to crumble the cereal) until the cereal is coated.
- Place the powdered sugar in a gallon-sized bag.
- Add the coated cereal into the bag. Shake well until covered with powdered sugar.
- Dump the puppy chow into a bowl.
- Add valentine's m&m's and mix.
- Enjoy!
Looking for something similar?
If you are looking for some more festive dessert recipes, try these:
Can I have the recipe?
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please rate it and share it with your friends! ENJOY.
Valentine's Puppy Chow
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Mixing spoon
Ingredients
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips
- ¼ cup peanut butter
- 5 cups chex cereal
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup valentine's m&m's
Instructions
- Place the cereal in a large mixing bowl.
- Combine the peanut butter and chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Heat in the microwave, stirring every 30 second seconds until completely melted. Mix well.
- Pour the melted peanut butter and chocolate mixture over the cereal. Stir gently (careful not to crumble the cereal) until the cereal is coated.
- Place the powdered sugar in a gallon-sized bag.
- Add the coated cereal into the bag. Shake well until covered with powdered sugar.
- Dump the puppy chow into a bowl.
- Add valentine's m&m's and mix.
- Enjoy!
Gaby says
This was so easy and delicious! It took me literally 5 minutes to make and I consumed way too much but I have 0 regrets! 10/10 will make again for all holidays in the near future ??
Mindy says
Soooo GOOD!! And kid approved!!
Robin Danesi says
Such a fun and simple valentines treat!
sheri mulroe says
This looks amazing! I think my son will love it (I’m sure I will too 🤣) I’m going to make it right before Valentines Day. Thank you!
Jennifer Hamman says
So easy for the kids to help make. Perfect movie snack!!
Callie Cirillo says
I always make a big batch of puppy chow around Christmas time. I love the idea of adding m&ms to make it perfect for Valentine's as well. Puppy chow for every holiday!